Hussein Jaafar: refused bail over alleged cannabis in arcade machines bust
Strike force police had been intercepting the phone calls made by Hussein Jaafar when he was allegedly busted travelling from Adelaide to Sydney with $423,000 worth of cannabis inside arcade machines, a court has heard.
Macarthur
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A man accused of organising 70.5kg of cannabis to be smuggled into NSW inside arcade machines came to police attention due to links to a suspected drug kingpin, a court has heard.
Officers tapped Hussein Jaafar’s phone in the weeks leading up to him allegedly picking up the weed that was delivered from South Australia to a warehouse in Glendenning on April 8, 2020.
Heavily armed police intercepted him driving an Isuzu truck he had recently registered in another name, with four arcade machines allegedly found in the back hiding about $423,000 worth of drugs.
He refused to co-operate with police and had to be tasered before being subdued.
Jaafar, 39, was charged with commercial drug supply and dealing with the proceeds of crime after $25,000 in cash was allegedly found at a vacant property he owned at Harrington Park.
The Gregory Hills father unsuccessfully applied for bail at the Supreme Court on Wednesday with Justice Desmond Fagan ruling he was likely to spend considerable time behind bars if found guilty.
Defence lawyer Derek Drewett said perceived risks to the community could be satisfied by placing his client under house arrest and told the court a $60,000 surety could be posted for his release.
The court heard Strike Force Shaughnessy detectives recorded Jaafar talking to a man being investigated over links to organised crime, and began electronic surveillance on him.
During later surveillance Jaafar was alleged to have been heard speaking with a man in South Australia, discussing “cannabis quality”, shipping and prices.
In raids after his arrest at unoccupied homes in Glenfield and Harrington Park, which Jaafar allegedly “frequented”, police seized cash, an air rifle, a taser, a Rolex watch, electronic storage devices and mobile phones.
A 2015 Mercedes AMG was also seized by police.
Justice Fagan noted Jaafar was sent to jail in 2003 for affray and firearm offences but had kept his nose relatively clean since then.
However, his alleged involvement in a “large” criminal enterprise and drug charges meant he would likely spend a significant jail time if found guilty, Justice Fagan said.
Jaafar’s matter will return to Liverpool Local Court on June 1.